The Island of Terror


Professor Challenger has mostly played second fiddle to Holmes in the Conan Doyle canon, but the character has always interested me; the flawed scientist with a big heart and a bigger ego. Considering he appeared in so few tales from the Doyle pen, it is a testament to the depth of the character that he has survived at all.

From the Lost World, to the poison in the mist, and the day the Earth screamed, he captured my imagination when I was twelve, and I've loved him ever since. That, plus the fact that Doyle reports that Challenger was born in Largs, making him a Scotsman from a town just 6 miles from where I was brought up, means that when Dark Regions Press offered me the chance to play in his world, I jumped at it.

From there it was a matter of choosing subject matter and setting. As a creature feature nut, the subject shouted loudest, and the setting proved more of a problem. I was intending on a return trip to the Amazon plateau, but then I remembered Lundy Island, and everything just fell into place.

Plot

Strange lights on the moors, weird noises in the night, cattle disappearing; these things alone are more than enough to prompt Malone’s newspaper to send him to investigate. And when his old companion Professor Challenger also goes missing, the hunt is on.

The trail leads Malone to the British military, and to a research station in the Bristol Channel, where an old terror proves, once again, that some things are not meant to be contained.


Reviews


Mr. Meikle continues to write outstanding stories, and Professor Challenger: The Island of Terror is no exception, it further cements his place as one of the best storytellers writing today and I highly recommend it. - FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND

Willie's lean writing style strips away any superfluous prose to throw the reader into a non-stop, action packed and glorious Saturday Morning matinee style romp that will not fail to entertain. - GINGER NUTS OF HORROR

The Island of Terror is a thrilling and accomplished piece of writing that combines a whip-fast and action-filled plot with a bold and vivid resuscitation of Professor Challenger and his coterie that does Mr Meikle a great deal of credit. It deserves to be read by anyone with an interest in Conan Doyle’s characters, gory, dinosaur-filled adventures, or just damn good writing. - THE SCI-FI AND FANTASY REVIEWER

It’s a tightly-plotted, fast-paced story, in the classic pulp tradition. Meikle captures the feel of the characters with consummate skill. I recommend it highly. - THE BRITISH FANTASY SOCIETY

High adventure and masterful storytelling make THE ISLAND OF TERROR a thrilling tale indeed. - THE TOMB OF DARK DELIGHTS

The characters were strong and distinctive, and the various turns of phrase were fun to read. The action is good, and the combat sequences were well written, without getting gory. The writing style was very effective in setting the tone. All in all, Professor Challenger: The Island of Terror is an enjoyable read. - THE MONSTER LIBRARIAN






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